


Foreign Feelings

by livbean



Category: Purple Hyacinth (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe- Less Trauma, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Harvey and Lukas are here if you squint, Kym is in denial what else is new, Kym is lonely and confused, Lauki are just vibing, Will is on vacation, a sprinkle of hurt/comfort, for some reason there's a lot of emphasis on paperwork, g a s p! premarital hugging, it's a combo meal, most of this was written at ungodly hours beware, pining?, someone teach me how to write, there's pining I'm just bad at writing it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25159240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livbean/pseuds/livbean
Summary: While Will is on a much needed vacation, both he and Kym encounter new emotions; some of which are more welcome than others.
Relationships: Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, William Hawkes/Kym Ladell
Comments: 37
Kudos: 65





	1. Feeble Facade

**Author's Note:**

> (Alternatively titled "Missing Man" lmao)  
> This fic takes place in an AU I like to call the "less-trauma" AU, but that's not significant at all to the plot.  
> Also!! many a thanks to my good pal Lola for editing/writing cursed notes with me. You're assistance and t a l e n t is always very much appreciated <3

Sergeant Kym Ladell of the Ardhalis Police Department wrapped her coat tighter across her front in an effort to stave off the chill of the November air. The city of Ardhalis was waking up; its people drowsily rising with the sun, which lay suspended above the grand marble facade of the 11th precinct’s police station.

The young woman trotted up the steps of the large building, coming face to face with masked banners as she pushed open the wood framed doors. The warmth of the lobby enveloped her, as did greetings from the guard and receptionist stationed there, which she gladly welcomed.

She made her way back into the main hallway of the building, turning the corner and strolling to her unit’s office. As she walked, she kept one hand in her pocket, stubbornly clutching the gold pocket watch which resided there.

Pleasantly wishing good mornings to coworkers along the way, Kym entered the space occupied by the patrol unit. She shrugged off her uniform coat and rolled up the sleeves of her white button-down. Throwing her outer layer onto the rack stationed next to the absent receptionist's desk, the young woman glanced around the office. 

Quickly noting the few others in the room, the officer’s eyes lit up at the sight of her close friends engaged in a hushed conversation. She meandered toward the desk they occupied, hoping for an invitation to join in on their whispered discussion. Halfway there, however, she stopped in her tracks, petrified. _What if they’re planning another dinner date? Or_ worse, she considered, mortified by the mere idea of what worse could mean.

With that horror in mind, she opted for a simple greeting. “Good morning, Lauren! Kieran!”

The pair looked up to wave and return her greeting before lowering their voices again, leaping back into a conversation that Kym wanted nothing to do with.

She made her way to her own workstation, passing the lieutenant’s unoccupied desk on her way. Her gaze rested on the unopened envelopes underneath his lamp and a frown formed on her lips. She quickly averted her eyes, her stare landing upon the monumental stack of unfinished paperwork waiting at her own desk. Her melancholy quickly melted into dread as she realized just how much she had to catch up on.

_Of course Willame isn’t here when I actually want him to be._

The lieutenant had gone away for the week, leaving Kym to wonder why he had so promptly taken a vacation. She was sure that Lauren knew exactly what was going on, but her friend refused to tell her why he had left, no matter how many times she asked.

She threw herself into her desk chair, eyeing the towering files disdainfully. Most of the work in the stack belonged to her, but had been pushed to the side when WIlliam went away. Kym had put her work on the back burner in order to fulfill the duties she had been given as the “Stand-in Lieutenant,” a title which she was fairly certain didn’t actually exist. She wanted to get the extra work out of the way first; at least, that’s what she told herself.

Unable to focus on the files in front of her, Kym glanced at her two friends and rolled her eyes. She needed a distraction, but they were too caught up in their secretive conversation. Avoiding watching as Kieran leaned in close to Lauren, Kym dropped her head onto the somewhat empty section of her desk.

 _It’s too bad Will isn’t here. Bothering him is always fun._

She groaned and buried her face in her folded arms. Thinking about William hadn’t been on her itinerary for the day. Then again, she didn’t have much planned otherwise. 

_Since when was Willame more interesting than eavesdropping?_

If she was being honest, the blonde had been invading her thoughts much too often lately. His abrupt vacation had left Kym counting the seconds left before he came home. She had tried to convince herself that she was just bored without someone to rile up, but that reasoning didn’t last very long. 

A day or so ago, Kym had accepted her foreign emotions that arrived when he left. She just wasn’t quite sure what they were.

As thoughts of messy blond hair started to swarm again, she exhaled softly, drawing the attention of her nosy friends.

“There she goes again. Write it down, subordinate.”

“I don’t see why you can’t do it. Must I remind you that I actually work in the archi-” Kieran’s whispered complaints were silenced by a swift punch to his bicep. "I can't believe you're making me carry this thing around," he muttered, sending a half-hearted glare towards his female companion. He quickly scribbled down the date on his notepad, followed by a tally underneath. “That makes… forty-three sighs in just one week. Care to tell us what you’re thinking about over there, Kym? Your depressive episode is quite distracting.”

Kym’s head darted up at the mention of her name, her tawny eyes apologetically meeting Kieran’s. “Sorry, what were you saying? I wasn’t paying much attention.”

“Wow, really? I didn’t notice.” That earned him another well-aimed assault. “Would you _quit_ that, darling? I’m getting quite sick of your constant abuse. Do you even love-”

“Don’t be mean to Kym, Kieran,” Lauren sighed. “It’s obvious what’s wrong, anyway.” Her remark was met with a blank stare. “She misses Will, you idiot. Honestly, sometimes you act like you don’t even have a brain.”

Kym shot up from her chair, hands slamming down on the stack of untouched paperwork laying at her desk. “ **I do not miss Hawkes**. If anything, **I’m dreading the day he returns** ,” she huffed. 

Her friend sent her a knowing look. “Really, Kym? Something tells me that was a complete _lie._ ”

The ocean-haired sergeant’s eyes widened, the blush on her cheeks growing more obvious with each word. “Well, maybe your lie-detecting brain cells are malfunctioning, Laur. Or _maybe_ , this is your way of telling us all how much _you_ miss the lieutenant!” she gasped theatrically in a futile attempt to distract her friends and co-workers from the obvious.

Lauren let out a laugh, shaking her head. "I don't need a lie detector to know what's got you so upset."

“Ah, I should have known,” the archivist began with a grin. “I used to spend my mornings pining as well, you know. I’m sure if you just admit how you feel-” 

“Would you three kindly shut the hell up or take your little coffee klatch to the archives?” a voice snarled from the corner of the office. The trio jumped at the sound of the most fearsome (and now angry) officer of the 11th precinct, Lukas Randall. “It’s too early for my ears to take this crap - not to mention the fact that Wood broke the coffee machine. _Again_.” 

The officer in question froze in place, petrified by the mere idea of his name passing over the so-called Grumpy Cat’s lips. Without daring to turn around, he sprinted out of the room.

Sensing an opportunity to escape further embarrassment, Kym declared, "I like the first option. Now let's all listen to Lukas and get along with our days. We’ve got work to do.”

With no choice but to listen to their temporary leader, a hush fell over the office. The room was filled with silence, pierced through by only the sounds of turning pages and scribbling pens.

Kieran snuck a quick kiss to Lauren before retreating back to the archives, wishing a good day to the patrol unit on his way out. Kym sat back down at her desk, shooting a glare towards her neglected pile of paperwork. 

_Crisis averted_ , she thought, slipping back into unbidden daydreams of sandy locks and eyes that echoed the sea. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour! I haven't written in a while so I'm really excited to be writing again (and sharing it with y'all)! I plan to publish the rest of this quickly- it gets pretty i n t e r e s t i n g. Thanks so much for reading  
> Much love!  
> -Liv <3


	2. Seaside Sorrows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse at William's vacation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for those of you wondering, "Where's ~~Waldo~~ Will?"

William sat on a worn blanket in the pale sand with his mother beside him, a book forgotten in her hands. She watched the horizon, its azure hues hidden behind bitter grey. Dark waves rolled in, a reflection of the clouds far above them. There was little noise other than the breaking of the shoreline and the shrieking of albatrosses above. Static filled the air; a storm was coming. Under any other circumstances, Will would have left to seek shelter, but he couldn’t bear to pull his mother away. She had asked to visit the shore; to finally leave the room she had so long remained in.

“I’m feeling much better, after all,” she had said.

Elated by the assurance in her voice, he had taken the week to drive east, leaving his unit under the care of Sergeant Kym Ladell. He and his mother elected to lodge in their family owned cottage near the seaside, a place which he had last seen during his academy days.

William shifted his gaze from the ocean to the sky, falling backward onto the blanket. He covered his face and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes. For a moment, he saw blue and yellow stars, which faded into gray clouds as he opened his eyes once more.

Next to him, his mother closed the book she had given up on reading and dropped it next to him. “Let’s take a walk; I’m getting cold just sitting here.”

Quickly, he pushed himself up off the sheet covering the sand and reached down to help her stand. 

He walked beside her in comfortable silence with a soft smile on his face. Though the darkening sky made him uneasy, he couldn’t help but be at peace. Things were finally looking up for what was left of his family. After years of medical bills and sleepless nights, Will was finally able to breathe again.

He slowly inhaled the cool air, glancing at his mother and letting the salt stung his lungs.

She met his gaze, and his breathing came to a halt when he realized just how tired she looked. “Bittersweet, isn’t it?” she hummed, “To think that we may never do this again, I mean.”

The smile on his face fell in an instant. “What are you talking about? Why would you think that? How _could_ you think-”

“William.” She stopped walking, the waves lapping at her ankles. “I know how hard you’ve worked to fix all this; how much you’ve spent trying to help. I... I should have told you sooner. You need to accept that my time is coming. It will make it easier for you when it does.”

“I couldn’t care less about the money I put into treatments. You can’t just… you can’t just leave me. You’re all I have.” He swallowed harshly, salt stinging behind his eyes.

His mother sighed as she shook her head. “I don’t want to leave you, Will, but it isn’t my choice. We’ve been fighting this for so long. Aren’t you tired?”

“So what? You’re giving up because you’re tired?” he scoffed. “I’ve been tired since I was a _boy_. You can’t just-” he stopped, choking on tears he refused to cry. 

“I’m not giving up, Will. I’m accepting the fact that I won’t live forever. Please, for me, try to do the same.”

He said nothing, ashamed of his anger. He _did_ know that he would lose her eventually - he just hated the thought of her leaving so soon. There was so much he hadn’t done for her; things he could have done if he hadn’t spent the past decade or so trying to make everything better. She had even hinted at wanting grandchildren through the years, and the only relationship he had been in came to an end when he was just seventeen.

The crashing of waves once again consumed them as mother and son began to walk again. It took him back to a time before his world had ripped at the seams. 

Almost a decade ago, he had visited the cottage with his mother. There were no clouds then and the July heat had mingled with a salty breeze. The beach had been full, speckled with thin blankets and colorful umbrellas. He and his mother had ventured out on the pier one afternoon where they had found a man to take their photograph. He could picture it now: his mother’s laughing eyes and his boyish grin as they stood suspended over the ocean.

William looked up to find the dock with his gaze. His eyes quickly found the landmark, jutting out into the stormy sea. The thick wood was covered in a light fog. It didn’t look like the dream he remembered; it looked _wrong_.

“What are you thinking about?” his mother called.

He turned to meet her gaze. “The pier.”

She smiled wistfully. “That old thing just isn’t the same this time of year, is it?”

“Maybe we could come back in the summer,” he offered. A second later, though, his shoulders tensed at the melancholy in her eyes. 

“I’m not sure we’ll be able to do that, Will.” She paused to swipe at her eyes. “I’m sorry, but… I just don’t know.”

He dug his feet into the could sand. “Oh…”

His mother reached over to embrace him, just like she used to all those years ago. 

_The sea was highlighted in gold and the sun engulfed the sands in warmth. A laughing mother pulled an embarrassed son into her arms and-_

He held on tight, afraid she would slip through his fingers. After a decade, William was realizing that he lacked the control he pretended to hold. 

“You’re a strong man, Will. You’ll push through this; you always do.”

_No._

He knew what he was now. A weak coward, blind to the truth and too afraid to look for it. 

The sky above them finally gave in and droplets of rain began to fall, mingling with the salty sorrow of a broken mother and son. As the storm picked up its pace, the two gathered their few belongings and ran to their waiting car. William slammed his door shut and started the engine, paying no mind to the white spreading across his knuckles.

Thunder roared in the distance as rain cascaded down the windshield. He kept driving, his vision blurred and hands shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuhhhhhhhh... sorry, Will.


	3. Heartfelt Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monday morning rolls around, and it's finally time for Will to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter, folks. I hope you enjoy it <3

Kym sat at her desk, anxiously scribbling across overdue paperwork. The sun streamed through the window behind her, casting a soft amber glow on the stack of files waiting at the edge of her workstation. The office was practically empty. The rest of the unit wouldn’t arrive for another hour or so, according to a quick glance at the clock. She was relieved; an extra hour of silence would help her get some work done. _And give me time to calm my nerves,_ she reasoned.

The office clock continued to tick quietly, combining with the sounds of early morning. She sat in the ambience and tried to clear her mind, not wanting to get too worked up. _Willame _was due to return along with the rest of the patrol unit later in the morning. Thinking of seeing him after so long sent her heartbeat into turbulence.__

____

The scuffing of two pairs of boots broke through her anxious meditation, and she glanced up to make eye contact with Lauren, who had just arrived with Kieran in tow. The archivist looked over at the blue haired sergeant, encouraged by a nudge from his partner.

____

The couple stared at her in confusion, their conversation abandoned at the sight of their friend actually getting work done. 

____

“Kym, you’re here early. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before six on a Monday morning,” Lauren said after a moment’s pause. “How was your weekend?” 

____

The sergeant placed her pen down, leaning her head in her now empty palm. “It was fine.”

____

Kieran raised an eyebrow. “Not very talkative today, are we? Are you still missing Blondie?” He adjusted the messenger bag hanging on his shoulder, dodging a punch from his female companion.

____

“ **No** , that’s not-”

____

Lauren cut her off. “Will should be coming in this morning. He was supposed to be driving back last night.”

____

“Oh, really?” Kym asked in a feeble attempt at sounding shocked. _She already knew that - after all, even amateurs know how to eavesdrop._

____

“Yeah, he called in to say so on Friday. I guess I forgot to mention it. He called around…” Lauren trailed off, enveloping Kieran in another discussion.

____

The honey-eyed sergeant picked up her pen and tried to refocus on the work sitting at her desk. She briefly registered her friends leaving the room to visit the archives, too caught up in the stress of deadlines and her lingering excitement to care much about their morning plans.

____

As she continued to speed through her files, the patrol unit slowly began to fill the office. A few officers filtered through the door with coffee fresh from the brand new machine. Taking notice of the time, she decided to get herself a mug before her workload for the day was distributed. 

____

Rising slowly from her desk, Kym grinned at her diminished stash of unfinished work. There was still a big enough pile to give the Lieutenant a conniption, but it had become much more manageable in the forty-five minutes or so she spent trying to catch up. She picked up the stack of completed papers and dropped them off at the empty receptionist’s desk on her way out.

____

As she walked to the break room, the sergeant once again began to fiddle with the watch in her pocket. She couldn’t help but be excited; Will would be getting to work soon. _I should get him a coffee, too!_ she decided with a grin. 

____

Kym walked into the break room, only to be met with a flustered Officer Harvey Wood. He opened his mouth to explain, but she waved a hand to cut him off. “I don’t want to know.” 

____

Leaving him to gather his bearings, she reached into the cabinet that held cream white mugs- echoes of the marble masks worn by the Ardhalis police- and grabbed two. From the corner of her eye she saw Harvey run for the door, his face flustered and hair considerably mussed.

____

The sergeant fiddled with the coffee maker on the counter, quickly learning her way around the new contraption. “How many more of these are we going to go through?” she muttered under her breath. As she waited for the drink to brew, the anxiety from earlier slowly came back to her. Of course, she had spoken to Will countless times before, but those conversations had usually consisted of scolding or bickering. 

____

_How would she be able to say she missed him when she had barely ever spoken with him sincerely?_

____

Though she had no intentions of telling her friends, her weekend had been spent coming to terms with her newfound, or rather noticed, feelings for the blonde. In truth, her yearning for the man had started long before he had left the week prior. The foreign emotions that she had been feeling for so long were not as nameless as she had once forced herself to believe, which was a concept that both scared and uplifted her.

____

The young woman shook her head, not wanting to get carried away in her trail of thought and the jittery feeling that came with it. She turned back to the counter and reached for the coffee pot, filling the pair of mugs with the scalding brew. With a quick glance at the clock, Kym left the breakroom and silently prayed that Lauren hadn’t yet returned from her rendezvous in the archives. If the precinct’s gossip ring found out that the Sergeant of the patrol unit was interested in their _highly esteemed_ lieutenant, she would be completely and utterly screwed.

____

She returned to the office with the two mugs of coffee held in an iron grip. Making her way back to her desk, she stopped at the Lieutenant’s, depositing the warm porcelain beside a photo of him and his mother. She paused to glance around the room before placing her mug down next to his. Wary of the few officers in the room, she picked up the silver frame, balancing it in her hands.

____

Looking down at the photo, her heart skipped a beat. _He looks so young,_ she thought with a light smile. The picture must have been taken years ago, before William left for the police academy. Its glossed surface was speckled with coffee stains and a smudged fingerprint; it was clear that the photo hadn’t always sat behind the glass. He and his mother stood on a boardwalk overlooking the sea, their blonde hair gently swept up in a breeze. Smiles graced both of their faces and Kym could almost smell the salty summer air the photo breathed. She released a shaky sigh, finding her lieutenant’s unrestrained happiness to be an unfamiliar image.

____

She remained immersed in sunkissed dreams of cerulean eyes and a crown of golden hair until a familiar voice in the hallway brought her reverie to a halt. Hastily swapping the photo and her mug, Kym landed at her desk just in time to see her friends striding into view through the doorway. She ducked her head, trying to appear immersed in her paperwork.

____

“Kym,” Lauren called. 

____

“Yeah?” Kym scribbled away, maintaining her concentrated stature. 

____

“Look up.” 

____

She sighed, catching another glimpse of the figure accompanying Lauren at the door. “What do you-” Kym’s head snapped up, her gaze finding the cobalt gems she had lost. She fought the smile threatening to bloom on her lips. “Oh! Well if it isn’t my favorite lieutenant!” she exclaimed, cringing internally. “Not that I really know any others. You aren’t _that_ special.” 

____

Will blinked, apparently already fed up with her antics. “Ladell.” He walked over to his desk and dropped his department issued briefcase next to his chair. “I’d say I’m disappointed to see your colossal pile of work, but at this point I’m not at all surprised.” 

____

Kym scoffed. “Maybe if you hadn’t left so much behind, I would actually be done with mine, _Willame_.”

____

“I doubt that,” he muttered. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you- who made this?” He picked up the mug, his eyes widening slightly when he realized it was still hot.

____

Kym shrugged, her coworkers following suit. 

____

“O-kay then,” Will said, shooting her a strange look. “I swear if one of you put something in my coffee…” The temporary office welcoming committee shook their heads in unison. Furrowing his brow in confusion, he took a hesitant sip. “Well,” he said, setting the mug back down on his desk. “It’s good, whoever made it.”

____

Kym suppressed a smile.

____

The rest of the office greeted him, asking how his trip was and receiving mildly dazed responses. Taking a seat behind her gradually shrinking stack of paperwork, she kept a watchful eye trained on Will as he kindly smiled and answered the officers’ wide array of questions. When they began to retreat back to their own workplaces, Will scanned the room again, eyes landing on Kym’s. A brief smile flashed over his face.

____

Kym’s heart fell as she offered him a grin, dropping her gaze. His mirth had failed to reach his eyes. 

____

_Idiot. Why didn’t you try to talk to him earlier?_

____

As the hands on the clock slowly crept past the hours, Kym realized two things. For one, the office was much a more pleasant workplace with Lieutenant Hawkes back in town.

____

Secondly, she realized that this wasn't solely because his authority was keeping the office working as if it were a well-oiled machine.

____

She could see it in the way he checked in on everyone personally to see how they were doing; in how he would survey the room with a satisfied smile on his face. She could feel it in how her heart skipped a beat upon seeing him walk by, even if it was just to drop off more paperwork.

____

She could also feel it in how her stomach sank when he was too scattered to reprimand Lauren for sneaking off to the archives for hours at a time, or too lost in thought to laugh as Lukas got on Harvey's case repeatedly throughout the day.

____

Even when he thought no one was watching, Kym saw him stop himself from putting his head in his hands. She watched as he turned away from his desk to plaster a smile across his face and answer someone's question before returning to frowning over a desk devoid of paperwork.

____

Despite her never-ceasing heap of papers, she didn't envy him at all. But whether it was at lunch, or in the office, or even on a patrol round, she couldn't reach him. It was clear that in his mind, he was miles away. 

____

“Well, we’re heading out,” Lauren said, taking Kieran’s arm. “It’s already 5; you ought to consider leaving soon yourself."

____

“It’s okay, I still have to finish all this,” Kym said, waving a page haphazardly. “Have a good evening, guys.”

____

As her coworkers left, Kym was left alone with the sound of shuffling papers, the gentle ticking of the clock...and Will. She scribbled away at her paperwork, legs swung out to the side of her chair and already halfway out of her seat to go check on him.

____

But she couldn’t bring herself to stand the rest of the way.

____

_What if he gets the wrong idea? What if I come across as nosy? What if I’m intruding too much? What if-_

____

In her peripheral, Will stood from his desk, snaring her attention. Gathering his papers, he filed them away in his briefcase. Kym watched him blankly as he shrugged his coat over his shoulders. Only when he was half a step out the door did she realize he was leaving for the day.

____

“Hey, Will! Wait up!” She shot up out of her seat and rushed over to the doorway.

____

“Ladell?” He spun around to face her. “Is something wrong?”

____

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Kym said, wringing her hands. She pressed her lips together. This was a mistake - why had she thought it was a good idea to come check on him again?

____

“Okay,” he said, smiling wanly. “Good night.” He turned back towards the door, taking another step.

____

“Now that you’re home, at least,” Kym blurted out. Heat flooded her face as their eyes met again. _Crap. Abort mission._ “I mean- dealing with both of our jobs was a bit stressful, so, uh… it’s good to have you back.”

____

Will cocked his head slightly to the side. “Oh… are you sure everything’s alright, you look like you-”

____

“I should be asking _you_ that.” She winced, not intending to cut him off - or say whatever _that_ was. “I- you’ve always seemed pretty dull, but today you almost seemed… sad? I don’t know, you just haven’t seemed like yourself since this morning. You can tell me if something is upsetting you. Did something happen while you were… wherever you were?”

____

He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. Silence hung in the air between them. “I went to the eastern coast.” Kym’s brow furrowed in confusion. _The beach? In November?_

____

“Why-” 

____

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” He gestured to the door. “Are you leaving now, too?”

____

She nodded, grabbing her coat and leaving her paperwork splayed out on her desk, unfinished. It could wait. They navigated through the hallways in an increasingly tense silence. Kym fidgeted with her watch, unsettled by the overwhelming fear that he really needed help and she wouldn’t be able to give it to him.

____

She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. “Why can’t you just take the help I’m offering?” 

____

He looked up, unsure how to respond. 

____

“I shouldn’t be surprised, actually. You don’t tell Lauren anything, and you’ve known her for ages,” she said, rolling her eyes.

____

Quiet settled over them again. _I shouldn’t have said anything,_ she panicked, _I should’ve just stayed behind and let him-_

____

“It’s my mother. She… she’s sick- and she was getting better, but now… I don’t know how much longer…”

____

“Oh.” She bit her lip. “Are you- you’re not okay, are you?”

____

Will sighed. “I don’t think I am. But… I’ll be fine. I can handle it.”

____

_So that’s what Lauren meant_ , she realized. Lauren always said Will masked his pain with impenetrable walls. Kym just never realized they were this high.

____

“I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just- you don’t have to handle it alone, ya know?” Her fingers brushed his, her face flushing imperceptibly. She tore her hand away, passing it off by swinging her arms wildly as she walked. “ I’m always here for you, if you ever need someone to talk to.” She offered him a reassuring smile. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m a decent listener.”

____

He returned the gesture as he held open the heavy glass doors leading to the parking lot. The sun was sinking on the horizon, streaking the sky with oranges and pinks. As they strolled between scarce cars, making their way towards their own through the deserted parking lot, Kym glanced at her Lieutenant. His head was bowed, partially concealing his downcast cerulean eyes. It was clear to her that her words hadn’t made a huge impact on him, a thought which dragged her mood down even further.

____

They reached his car first after a short walk. Will reached for the door handle and threw his briefcase in the passenger seat. 

____

Kym’s nerves came roaring back to life as she realized he might not open up to her again. She wanted to comfort him, a thought which would have horrified her had it crossed her mind a week or so ago. If she didn’t act on this opportunity, they would end up back where they had started - just a sergeant driving her lieutenant to the brink of insanity. She might never have the chance to offer him her assistance again.

____

That was the last thing she wanted.

____

As he turned around to wish her a good evening, Kym decided to take a leap of faith. After a moment of hesitation, she threw her arms around his waist, resting her cheek on the lapel of his coat. “I missed you,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

____

Will froze, casting a glance down at her. 

____

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stu-_

____

He cut off her internal stream of doubt, exhaling as he wrapped himself around her. “Surprisingly enough, I missed you, too.” They continued to hold each other, neither of them wanting to let go and face the chilled air surrounding them. 

____

“Will,” she hummed after a moment, “can you promise me you’ll actually ask for help when you need it? I-” she paused, inhaling slowly. “I don’t like seeing you so… distraught.”

____

He pulled her closer. “I promise I’ll try.” She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, smiling at the sincerity in his voice. “Thank you, Kym.” 

____

“Anytime, _Willame_.”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there it is, I suppose. I hope you enjoyed! My writing definitely needs work (I took quite a long break from everything except essays, so my style hasn't had much opportunity to evolve oops), but I hope that this was still enjoyable nonetheless! I'm excited to write more for this fandom, y'all are so kind and supportive <3
> 
> Uuhhhh once again many thanks to Lola, I owe you my life. If there is enough interest, I m i g h t publish the bean epilogue...


End file.
